Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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To everyone still working for the Siren (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by CapnBoone
Yesterday was unexpectedly my last day and I have a few things to say.
1: Don't let this culture consume you and your free time. All too often I've seen people dedicate themselves above and beyond to this company, providing proper training resources for their co-workers when the company itself should be doing this. This same company which btw pays us $10 an hour while the amount of work and stress increases every day. There's some kind of voodoo about the place that keeps on our mind long after we've clocked out.
2: Mental health is already a big enough issue outside of the workplace.. I experienced some things on the job that shook me. Parents telling their kids to shut up in the nastiest tone of voice. Families of obese people with absolutely no regard for their health. Needlesslly disrespectful people. Even co-workers lashing out at me for the smallest reasons. Just off the top. Shit just breaks my heart man. To quote a stellar post on this community: "Their shit is not your shit." But this did not alleviate the feelings I would have, during and after my shifts. It's my belief that an inherent quality to this place is its propensity to foster anger in everyone present. Maybe that's just customer service and people in general but I dont want to believe that.
3: WE CAN DO BETTER. We dont have to suffer for a company that literally doesnt give a shit about its employees. Where supervisors are disgracefully underpaid for what they do. The best health insurance plan they have for what you make has a $2,500 deductible, which also still takes ~$20 off your paycheck per. You'd have to spend $2,500 on medical bills before your Starbucks provided insurance will even begin to help covering, and all that being said they will cover *70%* of costs beyond that. (Just the plan I looked at.) All while you make 10 bucks an hour. It goes beyond just Sbux, this is a problem with health care in America. But this company does not intend on actually helping the problem. There are literally companies hiring that pay more, pay 100% for healthcare, and are straightforward about this kind of stuff.
4: Time is precious and so are you, probably. I dont know you but I'm willing to bet maybe some of these frustrations align with yours. My leaving the company happened because I finally started thinking for myself and deciding that I was straight up involved in a well-concealed grift that seemingly everyone else was oblivious to. Not a job but a grift. This place made me feel like my time wasn't valuable.
(I think the worst thing about all this is how my co-workers didnt even remotely care about me as a person. All the things I was visibly going through and nobody said a word.)
Think for yourselves. We are not some expendable resource or chattel unless we allow ourselves to be - we're goddamn humans, capable of amazing things. You all deserve so much more. Dont let this place wear you down to the grindstone. Enjoy life and be happy, let positivity take the reigns. Know there are better opportunities out there and you are not trapped. And most importantly, know that things will work out no matter what happens.
With love,
300xxxx
1: Don't let this culture consume you and your free time. All too often I've seen people dedicate themselves above and beyond to this company, providing proper training resources for their co-workers when the company itself should be doing this. This same company which btw pays us $10 an hour while the amount of work and stress increases every day. There's some kind of voodoo about the place that keeps on our mind long after we've clocked out.
2: Mental health is already a big enough issue outside of the workplace.. I experienced some things on the job that shook me. Parents telling their kids to shut up in the nastiest tone of voice. Families of obese people with absolutely no regard for their health. Needlesslly disrespectful people. Even co-workers lashing out at me for the smallest reasons. Just off the top. Shit just breaks my heart man. To quote a stellar post on this community: "Their shit is not your shit." But this did not alleviate the feelings I would have, during and after my shifts. It's my belief that an inherent quality to this place is its propensity to foster anger in everyone present. Maybe that's just customer service and people in general but I dont want to believe that.
3: WE CAN DO BETTER. We dont have to suffer for a company that literally doesnt give a shit about its employees. Where supervisors are disgracefully underpaid for what they do. The best health insurance plan they have for what you make has a $2,500 deductible, which also still takes ~$20 off your paycheck per. You'd have to spend $2,500 on medical bills before your Starbucks provided insurance will even begin to help covering, and all that being said they will cover *70%* of costs beyond that. (Just the plan I looked at.) All while you make 10 bucks an hour. It goes beyond just Sbux, this is a problem with health care in America. But this company does not intend on actually helping the problem. There are literally companies hiring that pay more, pay 100% for healthcare, and are straightforward about this kind of stuff.
4: Time is precious and so are you, probably. I dont know you but I'm willing to bet maybe some of these frustrations align with yours. My leaving the company happened because I finally started thinking for myself and deciding that I was straight up involved in a well-concealed grift that seemingly everyone else was oblivious to. Not a job but a grift. This place made me feel like my time wasn't valuable.
(I think the worst thing about all this is how my co-workers didnt even remotely care about me as a person. All the things I was visibly going through and nobody said a word.)
Think for yourselves. We are not some expendable resource or chattel unless we allow ourselves to be - we're goddamn humans, capable of amazing things. You all deserve so much more. Dont let this place wear you down to the grindstone. Enjoy life and be happy, let positivity take the reigns. Know there are better opportunities out there and you are not trapped. And most importantly, know that things will work out no matter what happens.
With love,
300xxxx
sheep_heavenly 6 points 1y ago
>The best health insurance plan they have for what you make has a $2,500 deductible, which also still takes ~$20 off your paycheck per. You'd have to spend $2,500 on medical bills before your Starbucks provided insurance will even begin to help covering, and all that being said they will cover 70% of costs beyond that. (Just the plan I looked at.)
That's definitely not the best. I paid $20 a paycheck for 100% coverage minus small copays, a supposed $750 deductible I never actually have to meet before the 100% coverage happens, and it's covering several $$$$ meds for me at less than $10 a month apiece. I'd literally be out a thousand dollars minimum each month if I paid the "cash price" for the services/meds I get.
On my state marketplace I paid $120 a month for a plan that paid 80% after $3,000 deductible and was accepted basically nowhere. Everything else was too expensive or didn't cover my meds because they're $$$$.
I don't disagree with anything else and I'm glad you were able to jet. But the one thing that they're doing pretty okay at is offering decent health insurance options, even if the paycheck sucks ass to afford it in many areas. More of an issue about pay and about the health insurance industry in general.
That's definitely not the best. I paid $20 a paycheck for 100% coverage minus small copays, a supposed $750 deductible I never actually have to meet before the 100% coverage happens, and it's covering several $$$$ meds for me at less than $10 a month apiece. I'd literally be out a thousand dollars minimum each month if I paid the "cash price" for the services/meds I get.
On my state marketplace I paid $120 a month for a plan that paid 80% after $3,000 deductible and was accepted basically nowhere. Everything else was too expensive or didn't cover my meds because they're $$$$.
I don't disagree with anything else and I'm glad you were able to jet. But the one thing that they're doing pretty okay at is offering decent health insurance options, even if the paycheck sucks ass to afford it in many areas. More of an issue about pay and about the health insurance industry in general.
Agreeable_Tea3344 4 points 1y ago
Agreed. Starbucks is not THE BEST (WinCo Foods had us paying $15 for 3 months worth of insulin per perscription) but its pretty good. Its kept me alive as a Type One Diabetic for about 2 years now. Granted my husband and I have a double income household (he is working as a truck drivers) and I am working to just keep the insurance. But yeah I agree thats not the best plan, but as a whole Starbucks has pretty darn good insurance.
lobosloboslobos 5 points 1y ago
You are definitely right although the only reason I’m still at the bux is cause I consider the healthcare benefit to be quite good (at least after three years of having none).
46patisse 2 points 1y ago
Well said
[deleted] 1 points 1y ago
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